But I stopped him--couldn't let him go on, of course: "Oh, I say, you know! Not another word, my _dear_ Judge--I don't care a jolly hang, dash it!" And to show him, I smiled, got out a cigarette, and perched kind of sidewise on the edge of the table. "I'm not a bit sensitive, don't you know!" He stared. "Indeed, no--I see you are not!" he said warmly. I drew a light a bit airily. "Of course," I puffed, "what _you_ are thinking of is your servant, but I"--I shot him a light wink--"I've got to think a little about my own affair, don't you--" "_Lightnut!_" He caught me by the arms, his face reddened almost black. "My _dear_ boy, ten thousand pardons! I assure you--" "That's just all right, Judge," I reassured him soothingly. "All I am holding out for is just to be sure we understand each other about Frances--that I may be sure I have your authority--" "So _that's_ it!" He relaxed with a deep breath. Then quietly: "My dear boy, you make me ashamed of myself--I _was_ rude!" And he shook my hand. "Yes, indeed--you just go right ahead; almost anything is preferable to the vicious life Francis is leading--_anything_!" He sighed and his voice dropped confidentially: "I'm afraid even you would be discouraged if I told you of one or two disgraceful episodes at Cambridge--I _know_ Scoggins would be!" Scoggins again--always Scoggins! _Dash_ Scoggins! Of course he would be discouraged, but I should not. Devilish simple reason, you know--wouldn't believe it, by Jove! "Yes, I learned all about it from my daughter when she came home," he proceeded gloomily; "she feels that in a measure it has marred Miss Kirkland's visit with her." Miss Kirkland! I recalled now that that was the name of the girl from China. By Jove, _I_ preferred to think of her as the frump! "For Miss Kirkland heard the gossip at Cambridge--seems she has friends there among the residents; and they were kind enough to tell her of these things of the year before as soon as they noticed how devoted Francis was to her. At least this is what my daughter suspects--Miss Kirkland is not the kind to talk, you know." Oh, _wasn't_ she! By Jove, I wondered what he would think if he had heard our conversation in the hall! But it wasn't for _me_ to tell him he was warming a what's-its-name to his bosom, so I just mumbled a reply. "Nevertheless," he shrugged, "it is easy to see that she can't stand the sight of Francis." He shook his head dismally. "Charming girl, Mr. Lightnut--a rare and perfect type of the English beauty at her best." Oh, _was_ she! Not if I knew anything about it, and I had seen three seasons in London. By Jove, I was so terribly shocked I could just feel it in my face! He seemed surprised. "Don't you think so?" he insisted.